Aces moving up in Valley

Although Illinois State Redbirds baserunner Kevin Dubler (27) has his finger tips on second base, University of Evansville Infielder Robbie Minor (2) kept the tag on Dunbar when his hand came off the bag for the out during their game Friday at Braun Stadium.

VINCENT PUGLIESE / Courier & Press

For an inning that started like a footnote in history, the bottom of the seventh on Friday night at Braun Stadium ended as a very memorable frame for the University of Evansville.

The Aces pushed across five runs with two outs to provide the difference in a 6-3 win over Illinois State that moved UE to second place in the Missouri Valley Conference.

"It's a huge win for us," said Kyle Smith, UE's senior second baseman. "To come back after being behind against this team after what they did to us last year (a series sweep at Illinois State) felt good, especially the way we did it in the seventh."

Evansville (26-18 overall, 9-7 in the MVC) is tied with Bradley for second in the league behind Wichita State (10-6).

With the Redbirds (14-28, 5-8) leading 3-1, Smith lead off the decisive rally with a sharp single to right field. The hit was the 200th in Smith's career, making him the 18th UE player to reach that milestone.

"Coming in, I knew I needed two hits," said Smith, a former walk-on who earned a spot with solid fielding and grit. "But I wasn't thinking about 200 when I got that hit. I just wanted to help start an inning.

"But then we followed with two outs and it looked like nothing's going to happen until we get two huge at-bats from Kern Watts and Kasey Wahl to really get things going."

Watts singled home Smith, who had moved up on a fielder's choice and a passed ball, to start the scoring. Then Wahl went to work, fouling off six pitches off Mike Hlavacek before

"That was one of the best at-bats I've ever seen," Aces coach Dave Schrage said. "Kasey's effort there epittomized the effort of this whole team for the game."

Catcher Kirk Bascu reached next on his third hit of the game, an infield chopper, to put runners on the corners. Then designated hitter Pat Tumilty pulled the first pitch he saw into the right-field corner for a two-run triple. He scored when Robbie Minor celebrated his 21st birthday with a single to left.